G V 

,-00 



OF 

AUCTION 

BRIDGE 




COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



THE ABC 

OF 

AUCTION BRIDGE 

AND 

OTHER BRIDGE VARIATIONS 



BY 

EDWIN OLIVER 

w 

Revised for 
American Players 

BY 

G. EDWARD ATHERTON 

OF THE 

Philadelphia Racquet Club 



Philadelphia : 
DAVID McKAY, Publisher 
604-608 South Washington Square 



Copyright, 1912, by David McKay 



©CI. A 305553 



INDEX 



PAGE 

The Laws of the Game 7 

The Declarations ii 

Doubhng 31 

The Dealer 39 

Third Hand 53 

Second Hand 61 

Fourth Hand 68 

, The Lily or Royal Spade 70 

Cut-Throat, or Three-Handed Bridge . 72 

Dummy and Double-Dummy Bridge . 80 



INTRODUCTION. 



'HE popularity of Auction Bridge 



promises to be as rapid and as 
complete as was that of the parent 
game — Bridge proper. Just as the 
superior attractions of the latter over 
the sober interests of Whist were at 
once recognized, so are the greater 
possibilities of the new variant claim- 
ing adherents among those who prefer 
excitement to science in their recrea- 
tions. And it must be admitted, 
although as a confirmed Bridge en- 




4 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

thusiast I grieve to have to concede 
the point, Auction offers far greater 
scope for individual enterprise than 
its older rival, and for a time at least 
its fascination promises to be irresist- 
ible. 

For one thing, it appeals to the 
gambling instinct. It is a clever 
combination of Bridge, Solo Whist, 
and Poker, and calls for the qualities 
which make for success in all three 
games. The stereotyped Bridge- 
player would be at as great a disad- 
vantage without a thorough knowl- 
edge of the intricacies of Auction as 
would a Poker player who did not 
know Bridge. Given each an equal 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 5 

proficiency, and the player with the 
Poker temperament will have the 
upper hand. 

I shall, however, for the sake of 
brevity, take it for granted that readers 
of this little volume are acquainted 
with the laws and play of ordinary 
Bridge. Those who are not can gain 
the requisite information from any of 
the hundred and one excellent Bridge 
manuals. But does there exist a card- 
player in this year of grace who does 
not understand Bridge? If so, he must 
be in too small a minority to deserve 
special consideration. We will there- 
fore start with the assumption that 
we are all sufficiently students of 



6 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

Bridge to be able to appreciate 
the distinctions between the two 
games. 

And here let it be said that the 
confirmed Bridge-player will have as 
much to unlearn as to learn in 
acquiring the principles of Auction 
Bridge. For instance, what can be 
more difficult to grasp than the fact 
that the caUing of No Trumps " 
entails no greater risk than a spade 
declaration ? Again, that calling to 
the score loses its significance, as 
the opposition cannot win the game 
on a defeated call, or that as a rule 
it is more profitable to defeat an 
opponent's call than to win the game? 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 7 

The whole point of view is changed, 
and the more ingrained are the funda- 
mental principles of ordinary Bridge 
the greater will be the confusion of 
the player until he shall become im- 
bued with the reckless optimism essen- 
tial to Auction Bridge, but fatal to its 
predecessor. 

THE LAWS. 

I shall first set forward, as briefly 
as possible, the laws of the game, 
always, of course, taking for granted 
that my readers are Bridge-players. 
The game and the rubber are the 
same in both cases— thirty points 
scored below the line, and the best of 



8 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

three games. Honors, chicane, and 
grand and Httle slam are scored 
above the hne and are counted just 
as in ordinary Bridge. The difference 
hes in the scoring of tricks made 
against the declarer. These are in- 
variably scored above the line and are 
counted with the honors at the end 
of the rubber. They have no bearing 
upon the game. Only the tricks won 
by the declarer are scored below the 
line. Every trick below the number 
the declarer has contracted to make 
counts 50 points to the opposition, no 
matter in what suit or call it may be. 
Thus the failure to make one odd 
trick in spades is as expensive as in 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 9 

clubs, diamonds, hearts, or No 
Trumps. The penalty is uniform. 

There is still some diversity of 
opinion as to the number of points to 
be scored for the rubber. The more 
established rule is to award 250 points, 
but many players still prefer to score 
50 points for each game won and an 
additional 200 points for the rubber. 
Personally I prefer the former method. 
The laws as to shuffling, cutting and 
dealing are the same ; also those 
applying to exposed cards and cards 
liable to be called as played in error. 



lo A B C of Auction Bridge, 

THE REVOKE. 

There are differences, however, in 
the penalty for a revoke. When a 
revoke against the declarer is claimed, 
his adversaries score 150 points above 
the line in addition to the amount of 
the undertricks by which the declarer 
has failed to carry out his contract. 
In the case of the adversaries revok- 
ing, the declarer may add 150 points 
above the line or he may add three 
tricks to those he has taken, if, for 
instance, he should need them to com- 
plete his contract. In neither case is 
the penalty increased by a double or 
redouble, nor is the bonus for a double 
or redouble (see later) to be taken. 



A B C of Auction Bridge, ii 

When more than one revoke is 
made during the play of the hand, 
the penalty for each revoke after the 
first is lOO points above the Hne. 
The revoking side cannot score ex- 
cept for honors in trumps or chicane. 

THE DECLARATIONS. 

Before coming to the all-important 
question of the declaration, wherein 
lies the whole art of Auction as dis- 
tinguished from ordinary Bridge, it 
may be as well to set forth the pro- 
gressive calls as they take precedence 
of each other. When two contracts 
are of equal point value, the under- 
taking to make the greater number of 



12 A B C of Auction Bridge, 

tricks ranks the higher. Thus a decla- 
ration of two tricks in spades over- 
calls one trick in clubs ; two tricks in 
clubs or diamonds is an advance on 
one in hearts or No Trumps respec- 
tively. To avoid any confusion, it 
may be mentioned here that the con- 
tract to make one trick in any suit 
means the odd trick ; two tricks in a 
suit, eight tricks, and so on. 

The following list of progressive 
calls may be found useful : 

2 spades beat i club. 

3 I diamond. 

4 " ''I heart. 

6 " I No Trumps or 2 

diamonds. 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 
2 clubs beat i heart. 



13 



3 " I No Trumps or 2 

diamonds. 

4 " "2 hearts. 

6 "2 No Trumps. 

2 diamonds " i 
4 " "2 

3 hearts 2 " 
6 " ^^4 

The deal in Auction does not 
carry with it the advantage of the 
deal at Bridge. The dealer has to 
make a compulsory call ; he can- 
not leave the obligation to his partner. 
Neither is the play of the two hands 
assured to him as in ordinary Bridge. 
Either of his adversaries or his partner 



14 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

may become the declarer by calling 
above him. It is true that he has 
the right of the final call after every- 
one else has been satisfied, but, as we 
shall see, the odds against his being 
able to avail himself of this privilege 
are such as to render it only an oc- 
casional benefit. 

Having to start the running, how- 
ever, his policy, for reasons given 
later, should be aggressive, if possible. 
Where the hands are about evenly 
divided in strength, the advantage to 
the side playing the hand is about 
one trick. Therefore it is permissible 
to make a No Trump considerably 
lighter than would be safe at Bridge. 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 

Failing the nucleus of a No Trump, 
the dealer should name his strong 
suit — if it has the higher honors. By 
bidding a suit of this nature his 
partner knows what he can count 
on, if he has a fair hand himself, 
and it frequently happens that third 
hand has a good No Trump make 
if he knows that his weak suit is pro- 
tected in his partner's hand. More- 
over, if the dealer's named suit is 
especially strong, he can overbid his 
partner's No Trump at slight cost, 
if it should seem advisable. 

Without a possible No Trump, or 
a really strong suit, the dealer should 
call "One Spade." This does not 



1 6 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

necessarily correspond to the yar- 
borough original make at Bridge. 
It merely says to the partner, I 
cannot make it No Trump, and 
have no especially strong suit — my 
strength, if any, is scattered/' So, 
with One Spade " from dealer, 
second player can overcall or pass. 
If third player calls Two Spades," 
" One Diamond " is the lowest con- 
tract that takes precedence of it. A 
double reopens the bidding (see later). 
For instance, if, say, a call of Two 
Hearts " has been doubled, the de- 
clarer of that contract can amend it 
to "Two No Trumps," and so on. 
And this he can do, if expedient, 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 17 

without any fear of increasing the 
penalty for failure, for the loss is 
the same in both instances — 50 points 
for every trick under the contract and 
scored above the line. Failure does 
not affect the game, and therefore he 
may take wider liberties in this direc- 
tion than at ordinary Bridge. We 
will give an illustration. 

Let us suppose that one of the 
players has been forced to call " Two 
Hearts on doubtful strength. The 
declaration is doubled and he stands 
to lose 100 points for every trick 
below the number he has undertaken 
to make. Whereas if he raises his 

call to " Two No Trumps/' and it is 
2 



i8 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

not doubled, he at least halves his 
loss per trick. 

Occasionally " One Spade is a 
useful call when dealer has a certain 
No Trump hand, with strength in all 
four suits. If " One No Trump or 
" Two Hearts " has been called over 
him, he is in a safe position to call 
Two No Trumps," and in the very- 
improbable case of being doubled, can 
then redouble, by this means perhaps 
forcing the opposition to call beyond 
their strength, as explained above, 
when the dealer in turn can double 
with every chance of defeating the 
declaration. For it must be under- 
stood that the winning of the game 



A B C of Auction Bridge. ig 

is not the only object of Auction 
Bridge. The heavy scoring is done 
above the hne by defeating one's 
adversaries. 

With moderate strength in three or 
more suits, however, an initial call of 
One No Trump can be recom- 
mended. The dealer is not likely to 
be left to make it or to be doubled, 
and so he at once forces up the 
bidding to " Two Diamonds " at least 
and gives his partner some idea of 
the kind of hand he holds. Thus 
if the latter has strength in one of 
the red suits, he can contract to make 
two in it, so going a step higher. 

The dealer should never make an 



20 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

initial red suit or club declaration 
without pronounced strength in it 
and the possession of the head cards. 
The last consideration must be ob- 
served in making such a call at any 
time. Aces and Kings are of far 
greater importance than in ordinary- 
Bridge. At all times the dealer 
should be careful not to deceive his 
partner. If he possesses, however, 
overwhelming strength in one of the 
red suits and nothing else, it will be 
better for him to commence with a 
call of one trick in it. It can do no 
harm and will be at least a guide to 
third player. 

From these remarks it will be seen 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 21 

that far more strategy goes to the 
making of an original declaration in 
Auction than in ordinary Bridge. 
The dealer does not necessarily set 
out to secure the play of the two 
hands or to win the game. Failure 
may be so much more expensive 
than the advantage of fulfilling a 
contract, that his poHcy is rather to 
foster the sporting instincts of his 
adversaries than to take risks him- 
self. ^' Bluff" enters considerably 
into the essence of the game, but it 
may prove expensive when carried 
too far with players who can draw 
sound deductions. On the other 
hand, it is often advisable to incur 



22 A B C of Auction Bridge, 

certain loss above the line, in order 
to keep the game open, with the 
hope of retrieving it in subsequent 
deals. The loss of the dealer's ad- 
vantage makes this possible at any- 
time. 

Let us now proceed from the 
original call of " One Spade." In 
the majority of cases, second player 
should pass this, for the reason that 
if third player does not increase it, 
he makes a confession of weakness, 
and, fourth player also passing, the 
dealer is left to get the odd trick in 
spades with no chance of materially 
augmenting his score and with a 
corresponding chance of losing up 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 23 

to 100 points for failing in his con- 
tract. 

Suppose, however, that the dealer 
has made One No Trump." 

Now second hand is in some diffi- 
culty. He has gained no certain 
knowledge regarding the nature of 
dealer's cards and none whatever 
about his partner's. If he makes a 
rash call, he may be promptly doubled, 
and then he or his partner may be 
constrained to declare higher in order 
to get out of a dangerous situation. 
If, however, he possesses good 
strength in one of the red suits and 
high cards in the other suits, what, 
in fact, would be otherwise a moder- 



24 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

ate No Trumper, then a two-card 
call in it is advisable. The bidding 
will have reached an interesting 
stage. 

Failing such strength, second hand 
should leave things to his partner, 
who, possessing unusual strength, 
may prefer to leave the dealer in 
with a One No Trump call on the 
tolerable certainty of being able to 
beat it. To double this call would 
be a tactical error, as one of the other 
side would probably take refuge in 
" Two Diamonds " or Two Hearts/' 
If this is the object of the opposi- 
tion, then the first double would be 
justified. The whole strategy of the 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 25 

game is to entice the other side into 
a risky declaration and then to defeat 
it. The higher the stage reached, 
the greater becomes the value of top 
cards in any of the suits. Say, for 
instance, one of the players has been 
driven to Three Hearts." He has 
undertaken to make nine tricks. The 
adversaries have only to secure five 
and the declaration fails. 

In supporting a partner's call, it is 
essential to grasp his motive for 
making it. Is it a voluntary one 
from strength or a compulsory one 
to evade a tight corner? Let me 
give an illustration : One Spade " 
has come from dealer. Second 



26 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

hand declares *^ One Heart/* His 
only reason for doing so can be 
genuine strength in hearts. Hence if 
third hand tops it with " One No 
Trump/' fourth hand, holding, say, 
one trick in hearts and two other 
tricks, or good general strength, may 
with safety say " Two Hearts/' 

On the other hand, an illustration 
of a forced call would be as follows : 
Third hand has raised dealer's orig- 
inal call of " One Spade " to " Two 
Spades/' Fourth hand is unwise 
enough to double it. Dealer must 
get out of the declaration somehow. 
He contracts to make one trick in a 
more expensive suit. His partner 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 

must not take this to mean that he 
has made a sound call. The dealer 
may be only seeking a way of escape. 
Deductions of this kind have a most 
important bearing upon the game. 
The adversaries too should draw 
the same distinctions. For example, 
dealer has been driven to call " One 
Heart." Second hand, having strong 
cards, with good trumps, may venture 
on "Two Hearts." If he has made 
a mistake and it is doubled, he can 
take refuge in *'Two No Trumps.'' 
Or if confident of his own ability to 
fulfil his undertaking, he can redouble. 
Should, however, the dealer's call have 
been a weak one, the latter's only 



28 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

refuge is *'Two No Trumps/' with 
the risk of being doubled. 

Information afforded by the differ- 
ent declarations is most valuable and 
should be treasured up. It is as es- 
sential to note what has not been 
called as what has been called. And 
it is in this connection that the im- 
portance of following the score comes 
in. For instance, if your opponents, 
with their score at i6 or i8 in the 
, rubber game, passed your partner's 
" One No Trump " declaration, the 
inference would be that they were 
weak in either of the red suits that 
would take them out with a two trick 
call. One of them would certainly 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 29 

have overcalled if he saw any chance 
of victory. Again, suppose that the 
bidding had been raised to Three 
Diamonds " by one of the adversa- 
ries, and instead of doubhng, your 
partner branches into Two No 
Trumps," is it not safe to infer that 
diamonds is his weak spot? The 
instances may be multiplied and will 
suggest themselves to the intelligent 
player. More direct information can, 
of course, be drawn from what has 
been called. Say your partner has 
gone " Two Diamonds " ; possessing 
nothing in that suit yourself, but 
strength in the other suits^ you are 
at once encouraged to raise the dec- 



3d A B C of Auction Bridge. 

laration to *'Two No Trumps/* If 
such a call came from the other side, 
the information would in the same 
way suggest caution. 

On the subject of raising your 
partner's call, there is one point to 
be noted. It is the original caller of 
the suit that plays the hand. Thus 
if your partner should say, " One 
Heart,'' and is overcalled by One 
No Trump," if you are able to sup- 
port him by ''Two Hearts," which is 
passed, you become dummy although 
your declaration is higher. 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 31 

DOUBLING. 
Doubling in Auction differs in 
several respects from ordinary Bridge. 
In both cases only the score is af- 
fected. But in Auction the bidding 
is reopened by a double or redouble, 
and a doubled Two Diamonds ^' 
would give place to the higher call 
of Two Hearts." A call can only 
be doubled or redoubled once. A 
player may redouble a double of his 
partner's declaration, but he may not 
double it. If the final declarer's con- 
tract has been doubled, and he shall 
succeed in carrying it out, he is en- 
titled to add a bonus of 50 points to 
his score adove the line, and a further 



32 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

50 points for every trick he shall 
make above the stipulated number. 
The value of the trick is also doubled 
and redoubled. The amount is 
doubled in the event of his having 
redoubled. 

When the opposing side have 
doubled and defeated a call they 
score 100 points above the line for 
every trick under the number which 
the declarer has undertaken to make, 

e.y suppose the call has been Two 
No Trumps " and the player only 
makes five tricks, his adversaries 
score 300 points. In the case of a 
redouble they receive 200 points for 
every under-trick. But the adver- 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 33 

saries of a defeated call do not score 
in trick column. 

There is one important exception, 
however, which tends to minimize the 
possible hardship of the dealer having 
to make a compulsory original call on 
a very poor hand. The maximum 
amount his adversaries are entitled to 
score above the line for defeating a 
doubled one-spade call is 100 points. 
If his partner raises the call to Two 
Spades/' the rule does not apply, but, 
holding no strength himself, third 
player has thus the option of leaving 
the dealer with the initial declaration. 
In spite of what we have said regard- 
ing the obligation of third hand to 

3 



34 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

help his partner out of this more or 
less formal opening, it may sometimes 
be expedient to take advantage of 
this refuge for extreme weakness. A 
player must use his own judgment 
when the occasion for exercising 
caution presents itself. 

Doubling plays such an essential 
part in Auction Bridge that I will add 
a few general remarks under this 
heading before passing to the general 
play of the game. For one thing, it is 
the most potent factor in forcing the 
opposing hands to call above their 
capacity. The loss above the line on 
a doubled contract when defeated is 
so heavy that most players will be 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 35 

tempted to bluff, in order to avoid it. 
As the liability is not increased by- 
losing in a higher declaration this 
policy is more often than not justi- 
fiable. Thus a player, having called 
" Two Hearts and being doubled, 
may find it expedient to rise to " Two 
No Trumps," especially if he knows 
his partner has strength in one of the 
other suits. If, on the other hand, he 
is once more doubled, he is in no 
worse position as regards his losses. 

The loophole afforded by the right 
to call again makes it advisible not to 
double too soon. One Card" calls 
are made so much more lightly at 
Auction Bridge that to double such a 



36 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

one is often to frighten the opposition 
into another declaration. The proper 
course, as I have said before, is to try 
and force the declaration higher by 
calHng something else, for to double 
a one trick make on trumps alone, 
without general strength, is an error 
in the majority of cases. 

The more favorable position for 
doubling is when you are on the right 
of the declarer, as, sitting over his 
partner, you deprive the latter of the 
chance of changing the suit. Of 
course, if you wish the suit changed, 
the reverse policy holds good. The 
state of the game must always be a 
consideration in doubling. In addition 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 37 

to piling up your score above the line, 
your object is to keep the game open, 
and so to double " Two Hearts " or 
" Two No Trumps " at love all in the 
rubber game is not so justifiable as 
when the adversaries' score is well 
advanced. If they just fulfil their 
contract they go out on the doubled 
call, whereas, if left alone, they would 
fall short of the game. If, however, 
the winning of the contract will take 
them out in any case there is only an 
insignificant loss entailed in doubling 
them and the very solid advantage of 
frightening them into a more specula- 
tive undertaking. The higher the call 
the better the chance of defeating it. 



38 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

Finally, it cannot be impressed too 
clearly upon the beginner that a con- 
fident and premature double mostly 
defeats its object. The opponents take 
fi-ight and turn to something else. 
With the certainty of defeating a 
declaration it is better to simply pass 
it and be satisfied with the 50 points 
per undertrick. To double a weak 
call holding invincible strength in it is 
a blunder. Only when the strength 
of a hand would justify a double of a 
higher call in another suit, or in a " No 
Trumper," should it be attempted. 

I shall now take each of the four 
hands separately, and, for the sake of 
emphasis, elaborate the advice already 
given. 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 39 

THE DEALER, 
In the early stages of Auction the 
position of the dealer was considered 
a disadvantage. He was forced to 
make some declaration, no matter 
what cards he held. And this situa- 
tion undoubtedly had its drawbacks 
until the establishment of the rule 
limiting the loss on one spade to 100 
points. Even after the rule was in 
force several accepted authorities ad- 
vocated the retention of the conven- 
tion that the dealer should always 
declare " One Spade/* and third in 
hand should take him out with an- 
other bid — even Two Spades " on 
nothing. Finally, the upholders of 



40 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

this doctrine realized that this pro- 
cedure merely postponed the evil day, 
frequently giving the opponents a 
powerful attack by the double of 
the Two Spade " bid from nothing 
by the fourth player, before the dealer 
or his partner had disclosed any 
specific strength. 

It has now been generally admitted 
that, on an even score, the bidding is 
a rush for the first No Trump 
declaration. As the dealer has the 
first opportunity to gain this advan- 
tage, his position is now accepted as 
the most desirable. The dealer should 
declare one No Trump on a very much 
lighter hand than would warrant that 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 41 

declaration at Bridge, for several 
reasons: (i) The adversaries can 
never score toward their game if 
he plays the hand. (2) It costs no 
more to go down in this the most 
valuable declaration than in, say, one 
club. (3) It forces a two trick red 
bid from the adversaries. He can 
then either pass and try to defeat 
their bid, or, aided by the valuable 
information given by the bid, increase 
his own make. (4) One No Trump 
is seldom doubled — the solid suit 
which must inevitably defeat it must 
be called if it is red, which, of course, 
affords an opportunity for escape. If 
the adverse suit is black and long, 



42 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

there is the strong possibility that 
the third hand will take a weak make 
out with two of a red suit, and even 
if he does not, only 50 a trick is lost, 
because second in hand, with a long 
suit of clubs or spades, cannot double 
for fear of warning the maker off into 
a two red declaration. (5) His partner 
can always shift the make to two of 
red suit if it seems advisable. 

Therefore the dealer, without the 
nucleus of a No Trump, should de- 
clare one in suit in which he holds, 
say, Ace, King, or King, Queen, and 
others, as an indication to his partner 
that third hand need not fear that 
suit in the play of his own No 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 43 

Trump.'* Failing a strong suit, how- 
ever, — and by this is meant a suit 
holding the higher honors, — the dealer 
should make One Spade." This 
does not correspond exactly to the 
Yarborough make at Bridge — it may 
be made from a hand which holds 
an Ace, King, and other high cards. 
This make merely says to the partner, 
" I cannot make it No Trump myself, 
and my strength, if any, is scat- 
tered.'' A suit should never be 
named on the first bid, however, 
which contains no higher honor 
than the Queen, no matter what 
its length. 

As we have seen, a No Trump 



44 A B C of Auction Bridge, 

declaration can be made on a more 
slender foundation than in ordinary- 
Bridge, so that if he holds moderate 
cards in three suits, ^*One No Trump" 
offers little risk. It is not so expen- 
sive if defeated as Two Spades,'* 
and is not likely to be doubled. It 
forces the opposition, moreover, up to 
a minimum of Two Diamonds " ; and 
if third hand possesses strength in only 
this suit, he may then support the 
dealer with " Two No Trumps.'' But 
as he may reasonably suppose that the 
dealer's second call was a forced one, 
he may elect to leave the situation to 
the latter. 

The " Two Diamond " contract 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 45 

comes round in turn to the dealer ; the 
inference now is that his partner has 
no pronounced strength of any kind. 
Let us consider the kind of hand he 
himself is holding : Diamonds, three 
small ones ; hearts, Ace, King and two 
others ; clubs. Queen, ten and another; 
spades, King and two others. Hands 
of this kind can be multiplied accord- 
ing to the ingenuity of the reader, but 
it may be taken as typical of a weak 
No Trumper. To undertake to make 
two tricks in hearts or No Trumps 
on it is no light matter. The dealer 
should therefore be guided by the 
score. If it is Love all," he should 
be advised to pass, but if the adver- 



46 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

saries are in a position to win the 
game, and may be the rubber, by ful- 
filling their contract, then a little bluff 
is permissible. Two No Trumps " 
should be his next call. It will im- 
press the opposition and will make 
them cautious about doubling. The 
probability is that the dealer will be 
left with the call, and may find little 
or no support from Dummy, but 
he will at least have kept the game 
open. The player who does not 
trust his luck should not play 
Auction Bridge. 

But, holding such a hand as the 
above, a first call of " One No Trump " 
has much to recommend it, as at once 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 47 

forcing the adversaries' declaration up 
to a high point before either of them 
has been able to make any disclosures 
to the other. The more so is this the 
case when your own weak spot is a 
black suit. To overcall One No 
Trump " on clubs, for instance, is a 
formidable task. The worst of this 
policy, however, is that it tells too 
much to your opponents if they know 
the game. They would infer from it 
that you had only a moderate hand, 
as you would not begin with such 
a declaration holding pronounced 
strength. 

Occasionally, having a cast-iron No 
Trumper, you should " lie low," and 



48 ABC of Auction Bridge. 

use it for forcing the other side into 
a rash undertaking which can be 
doubled. Having strong trumps in 
one of the red suits, some sound play- 
ers advocate beginning at once with 
it, on the ground that it is a guide to 
third player. When your strength in 
both these suits is equal — say you 
have five of each and nothing else — 
it is better to call the lower of the 
two, i e., diamonds in preference to 
hearts. If you are doubled in dia- 
monds, you have a way of escape 
through the hearts. 

The one exception to the stereo- 
typed One Spade beginning, which 
is supposed to convey nothing, is when, 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 49 

as dealer, you hold great strength in 
one of the black suits and nothing else. 
If you conceal the fact, the advantage 
may be lost. You may be left to make 
your usual Two Spades " and may 
succeed, but your score below the line 
is ot little use except you want a few 
points to go out. On the other hand, 
the information that you have the com- 
mand of that suit may be of real value 
to your partner. It may give the sup- 
port he needs in forming a sound No 
Trumper. Therefore an original call 
of Two Spades " or Two Clubs," as 
the case may be, should indicate to 
him the state of your hand. The in- 
formation you afford, in this instance, 
4 



so A B C of Auction Bridge. 

is likely to be of more value to him 
than to the opposition. 

Do not let the fascination of piling 
up your score above the line make you 
altogether blind to the advantage of 
the rubber. It is true that there is 
more to be made by defeating your 
opponents than by fulfilling your own 
contract. I have made 1200 points 
by defeating a rashly redoubled No 
Trumper, whereas winning the rub- 
ber game with a Grand Slam in No 
Trumps, and with four aces in your 
hand, amounts to less than 500 points. 
Still there are many occasions when it 
is more profitable to make the rubber 
than to put your adversaries in on the 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 51 

problematical chance of their having 
to present you with fifty or a hundred 
points above. Hence if you are in an 
easy position to win the rubber, I say 
go for a moral certainty. It is true 
that you may have an equal chance in 
the next deal, but then it is just as 
likely not to present itself, and you 
may have sacrificed a substantial score 
below the line in order to secure a 
third of the amount above. On the 
same principle, it is sometimes cheaper 
to let the opposition make the rubber 
on a safe declaration than to hazard a 
hopeless overcall which is likely to be 
doubled. There are players who 
insist that the game should be kept 



52 A B C of Auction Bridge, 

open at any cost, but the theory, cor- 
rect enough up to a certain point, can 
be carried too far. 

A first call of One No Trump 
is sometimes expedient with moderate 
strength, but more as a guide to third 
hand and to force up adversaries' dec- 
laration than with any expectation of 
being left to make it. For the same 
reason, he may begin with Two 
Spades " or Two Clubs " if his sole 
strength Hes in either of these suits. 
Dealer should not leave the opposi- 
tion with a call which will give them 
game or rubber if he can possibly . 
avoid it, but he must not be too fool- 
hardy in this direction. 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 53 

We will now consider the policy of 
dealer's partner. 

THIRD HAND. 

After hearing the bids of the first 
two players the bid of the third hand 
is generally merely an application of 
his common sense. A bid of One 
Spade from the dealer, passed by 
second in hand, should be a clear 
warning that the strength is probably 
divided between himself and the fourth 
in hand ; therefore, v/ithout an excep- 
tionally strong hand, or a state of the 
score which warrants some rashness, 
he should be very cautious about 
making an expensive bid without 



54 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

some means of escape. In this situa- 
tion second in hand is apt to have 
more strength than the dealer, and a 
double may be disastrous. 

If the dealer has made " One No 
Trump," and has been overcalled by 
a two red bid, third hand should not 
help the No Trump, without sure stop- 
pers in his adversaries' make unless he 
holds remarkable strength outside. It 
is frequently better, holding a good 
hand in the other red suit, to overbid 
his opponent in that suit, leaving it to 
^ the dealer to decide, after receiving 
this information, whether it is advis- 
able to carry on his No Trump. 

It is a common error of beginners 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 55 

to help the dealer's one trick bid in a 
red suit, holding four trumps to a low 
honor and nothing else. This is dan- 
gerous. The dealer is entitled to ex- 
pect at least one sure trick in the 
dummy, consequently you should hold 
a minimum of two tricks before in- 
creasing the make, and those tricks 
should be preferably in side cards, as 
these are essential to fulfilling an eight 
or nine trick contract. 

To overcall lightly on a red suit is 
still more indefensible. For instance, 
third hand, having five small diamonds 
to the knave and little else of value, 
calls one of that suit first round. 
Fourth player rises to One Heart/' 



56 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

Dealer, having no diamonds himself, 
but three probable tricks in other 
suits, risks Two Diamonds." It is 
doubled and defeated. The dealer 
was not to blame. He rightly in- 
ferred that his partner had the com- 
mand in the trump suit. 

There is no such objection to an 
overcall of One No Trump " on the 
part of third hand. Indeed, it is to be 
recommended on very light strength. 
Nevertheless there should be the 
foundation of a No Trumper. The 
advantage lies in its persuasive in- 
fluence upon the opposition. Eight 
tricks in one of the red suits is the 
lowest undertaking that has prece- 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 57 

dence over it. Then, if not over- 
called, it is no more expensive to lose 
than any other declaration, and, more- 
over, offers the best chance of success 
on moderate cards. 

To the beginner I would say, never 
hesitate to overcall your partner's 
declaration. I have seen so many 
opportunities lost by this mistaken 
caution. Because the dealer has gone 
One No Trump," that is no reason 
why you should not raise it to two in 
a red suit if you see a probability of 
making eight tricks. You have at 
once told him the character of your 
hand, and if he cannot see his way 
with this assistance, to '^Two No 



58 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

Trumps/* then you have relieved him 
of a very doubtful contract. Again, 
one of the adversaries may be lured 
into a risky call which one of you 
may be able to double. This last 
consideration is the most important 
inducement of all. In the same way, 
with divided strength, third hand 
should call " One No Trump over 
partner's " One Heart " or One 
Diamond.** Or, if hearts is his suit, 
he should call it over a diamond 
declaration; but if dealer proceeds 
, with his diamond contract, third hand 
should then take it as an indication 
of confidence, and should not bid 
over it again. An original call of 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 59 

two tricks in a black suit should 
mean an invitation to third hand to 
call No Trumps," with the knowl- 
edge that one suit at least is thor- 
oughly protected. 

In bidding against the opposition, 
more care will have to be exercised. 
For instance, dealer has gone One 
No Trump " either on first or second 
round. Second hand has responded 
with two tricks in one of the red suits, 
of which third hand holds little or 
nothing. Even with something in 
the other suits, he runs a risk in 
helping his partner with "Two No 
Trumps.'* The lead will come from 
the previous declarer, if he is left with 



6o A B C of Auction Bridge. 

this contract, and it is certain to be in 
f the red suit of which he is short. 
Dealer may also hold nothing in it, 
and the contract may be defeated be- 
fore the lead is secured. If, on the 
other hand, third player holds good 
cards in the trump suit called, he has 
to decide whether it is better to double 
it or to support the dealer's call. The 
latter has shown that he possesses fair 
general strength. With third hand's 
'trumps, there should be a reasonable 
prospect of the two hands being too 
much for the two-trick contract in 
diamonds or hearts. 

We may now turn to the policy of 
those who, until the declarations are 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 6i 

completed, may be termed the opposi- 
tion. 

SECOND HAND. 

We have seen that second hand 
should, in the majority of instances, 
pass the original call of One Spade," 
because it is morally certain to be 
raised by third hand and the chance 
will come again of calling from his 
strength, if dealer does not wish to 
be left with the two-spade contract. 
His position has then been improved 
by the fact that the second declaration 
of dealer has conveyed some sort of 
information as to the nature of the 
cards he holds. That the dealer will 



62 A B C of Auction Bridge, 

elect to get out of an unprofitable 
spade call at any risk is only too 
probable, and second hand must 
therefore use his judgment in dis- 
tinguishing between a forced call and 
a genuine undertaking. For example, 
One No Trump " comes from dealer 
second round; has this been made 
from strength or as a tentative means 
of escape ? Or, again, is it a trap 
set for the unwary? Dealer may 
be lying low with fine attacking cards, 
and when second hand blithely calls 
two tricks in a red suit with fair 
strength in it and little else, may 
promptly double. Second hand has 
thus undertaken to make eight tricks 



A B C of Auction Bridge, 63 

with perhaps only five trumps as his 
hope of succeeding. 

Second hand should therefore be 
guided by the general strength of 
his own cards in raising a One No 
Trump" contract or in leaving it 
alone. If he himself has good gen- 
eral cards and a strong red suit, it is 
better for him to declare two tricks 
in the latter. What he should not 
do is to double the preceding con- 
tract. To do so may be to frighten 
his opponents into the other red suit 
in which he may not be able to 
render any help in defeating. And 
then in calling to his hand he has told 
his partner wherein lies his strength. 



64 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

But if second hand is in doubt, he 
should leave matters to his partner. 
The state of the score must, of course, 
be a consideration. If the dealer can 
make the rubber game on a one-trick 
contract, there is a more cogent reason 
for trying to force him up. The extra 
loss entailed in the event of his suc- 
ceeding is not of so much considera- 
tion as the chance of being still able 
to keep the game open. But it must 
be remembered that dealer is quite as 
ready to score heavily above the line 
as to win the rubber, and that a 
double of a light two-trick call in a 
red suit is only too likely to be the 
result. 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 6$ 

Another reason for leaving fourth 
hand with the onus of forcing the 
dealer is that in the event of the latter 
retaining the play of the hands, second 
hand as leader has learnt which suit 
to lead up to his partner. But with 
genuine strength himself, he should 
not hesitate to show it. There is a 
somewhat debatable point in connec- 
tion with an original one-spade call, 
when second hand holds complete 
command in that suit. He should 
double immediately for three reasons : 
First. It shows the fourth hand that 
he need not worry about the spades 
in case he otherwise would make it 
" No Trump." Second. It shows 

5 



66 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

the fourth what suit to lead if third 
hand gets the declaration. Third. It 
puts his opponents on the defensive 
and may force them to a bid which 
may be disastrous. 

I have said little about the play of 
the hands because, once the declara- 
tion is settled, it does not differ mate- 
rially from ordinary Bridge beyond 
the fact that more information has 
been given away before a commence- 
ment is made. There is, nevertheless, 
always the necessity of making the 
defeat of the call the primary ob- 
ject. Thus when the contract is to 
make three or four odd tricks, the 
policy of the opposition should be to 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 67 

secure every available trick at the 
earliest opportunity and not to finesse 
with a view to winning more tricks 
than are necessary for the purpose. 
If these can be made, so much the 
better, but no risks should be taken. 
So, in opening, second hand should 
make his high cards early and lead 
up to any suit in which his partner 
has shown himself to hold strength. 
There is no need to lead him a trump 
if he has doubled a high red-suit 
declaration, as he is probably relying 
largely upon strength in other suits. 



68 A B C of Auction Bridge. 

FOURTH HAND. 
He is in the most enviable position 
of all, inasmuch as he has at the 
start the best opportunity of study- 
ing the composition of the other 
hands. When a high call has been 
made, it devolves mainly on him to 
put on the pressure. We have seen 
that second hand should use some 
caution in bidding too freely, but his 
partner may display a more sporting 
spirit, short, of course, of courting 
certain disaster. Again, it may often 
be advisable to make a somewhat 
slender call in order to inform second 
hand of the suit he wishes led. Still 
the danger of being doubled should 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 69 

always be kept in view. It is in the 
initial stages that fourth hand may 
take some liberty. 

The advice as to overcalling one's 
partner applies equally to fourth 
hand, and should invariably be done 
without hesitation. The information 
thus conveyed is invaluable, and the 
principle of forcing up the opposition 
is served at the same time. But in all 
cases, he should be guided by the 
calls that have been made and use 
this knowledge with discretion, always 
watching his opportunity of leaving 
the opposition in with a risky call. 



70 



A B B of Auction Bridge. 



THE ''LILY'' OR ''ROYAL 
SPADEr 
The ^^Lily'^ or Royal Spade" 
is now very generally used among 
Auction Bridge players, to add to 
the bidding and to make another 
declaration to Compete with the heart 
and no trump bids. The value of 
the " Lily trick is in some localities 
counted at lo, but more generally 
at 9, and in my judgment the latter 
is the proper count. The Honors, 
counting above the line as in other 
suit declarations, viz. : 



A B C of Auction Bridge. 71 

Simple Honors, 2x9 18 

4 Honors, 4x9 36 

4 Honors in one hand, 8 x 9 ... 72 

4 Honors in one hand and I in 
partners, 9x9 81 

5 Honors in one hand, 10x9 • • 90 



" CUT-THROAT'' 

OR 

THREE-HANDED BRIDGE. 



There seems to be considerable un- 
certainty as to the correct play of this 
make-shift game, even among com- 
petent Bridge players. Many players, 
indeed, who are quite familiar with it, 
would not recognize it under the first 
title, by which it is sometimes desig- 
nated. As in Auction Bridge, the 
diflSculties of " Cut-throat " or Three- 
handed Bridge He chiefly in the 
method of scoring, so in order to 

72 



''Cut-Throat'' Bridge. 73 

clear up any ambiguity on these 
points, I give here the rules as they 
have come to be accepted in those 
circles where the laws are decided 
by custom. 

I may briefly summarize the rules 
by stating that the three players are 
against each other as far as the scoring 
is concerned. The one who cuts the 
lowest card plays the dummy hand 
first, and the second lowest takes the 
place on the dealer's left and takes the 
deal and the dummy in the follow- 
ing hand, the player on the original 
dealer's right moving to the left hand 
of the second dealer and in turn be- 
coming dealer. It will thus be seen 



74 ''Cut-Throat'' Bridge. 

that the player on the dealer's right is 
always the one to shift his seat on a 
new deal. After the declaration has 
been made by the dealer, either from 
his own or the dummy hand, the rules 
as to doubling and playing the hands 
are the same as in ordinary Bridge, the 
two other players becoming partners. 

The methods of scoring are as fol- 
lows : Only the dealer's score for 
tricks is placed below the line. The 
adversaries of the dealer never score 
below the line. If they win the odd 
trick or more, they score the value 
separately to each of themselves aboife 
the line. When they have honors 
between them, they also add the value 



''Cut-Throat'' Bridge. 75 

to their respective scores, however the 
honors may be placed in their respec- 
tive hands. Thus, supposing the 
dealer wins two tricks in hearts and 
holds simple honors, he will score 16 
above and below the line, but if his 
opponents gain the two tricks and hold 
simple honors, they will each score 32 
above the line and nothing below. 

When any of the three players has 
reached 30 points below the line by 
tricks won as dealer, he marks off a 
game to himself in the ordinary way, 
but any points standing to the credit 
of the other two players at this stage 
remain and count toward the next 
game. The rubber is four games, but 



76 Cut-Throat Bridge. 

if any player secures two games he is 
held to have won the rubber and adds 
100 points to his score therefor. The 
respective scores are then added up, in 
the ordinary way, and the winner of 
the rubber receives separately from 
each of the other players the amount 
of the points in his favor after deduct- 
ing each total from his. Or, in the 
event of the balance being against 
himself, he pays each of his opponents 
the amount due separately to them. 
The lower of the other two scorers 
also pays the difference to the third 
player. 

We now come to the weak spot in 
" Cut-throat Bridge, which militates 



^'Cut'Throat'' Bridge. 77 

so much against its popularity — the 
compulsory calls when the dealer 
leaves the declaration to the Dummy 
hand. In that case, with three aces 
in his hand, he is obliged to call No 
Trump ; otherwise (first) he calls 
from his numerically longest suit, 
u e., the suit of v/hich he holds the 
most cards; (second) if he holds an 
equal number of two or more suits, 
he calls the suit with the greatest 
number of pips, counting the ace as 
eleven, and each of the other honors 
as ten; (third) if two or more suits 
have the same number of pips, the 
higher suit takes precedence, clubs 
over spades, diamonds over clubs, 
hearts over diamonds. 



78 ''Cut-Throat'' Bridge. 

This is the most authoritative way 
of playing " Cut-throat " Bridge, but 
there are variations which are pre- 
ferred in private circles. For in- 
stance, honors are sometimes counted 
separately to each player as he holds 
them — 10 for an ace, 8 for a heart, 
6 for a diamond, and so on. Thus, 
if in a No Trump call the dealer had 
two aces and his opponents one each, 
he would score 20 obove the line and 
the others lo each ; and in the same 
manner with a suit declaration. 

Again, some players prefer to count 
50 only for the rubber. 

Then, under the above conditions of 
only scoring the dealer's tricks below 



Ctit-Throat'' Bridge. 79 

the line, a rubber may take up the 
best part of an evening, so it is not 
uncommon for all scores for tricks, 
whether won by dealer or by his two 
adversaries, to be placed below the 
line. The obvious disadvantage of 
this is that in defeating the dealer's 
declaration, one of the opponents may 
give the game, and perhaps the rub- 
ber, to his partner for the time being. 
But, barring this serious drawback, 
the game so played is less tedious. 



DUMMY" AND ^^DOUBLE- 
DUMMY" BRIDGE. 



The differences between " Dummy " 
and Cut-throat Bridge are as fol- 
lows : The lowest cut takes the 
dummy hand throughout the first 
rubber, the second lowest following 
him in the second rubber, and so on. 
The deal goes round in the ordinary 
way, but after the opening lead there 
is the choice either of (first) exposing 
only the dummy hand, or, when the 
player of dummy is not deaHng, of 

80 



Dummy Bridge, 8i 

exposing both dummy's hand and 
the hand of the dealer's partner, as 
in Double-dummy. 

A point to be remembered is that 
when the deal comes to the dummy 
hand, the dealer has to look at his 
own hand first and to declare from 
it, or pass to dummy just as if he 
had dealt first to himself; neverthe- 
less, the opening lead comes from 
the player on the left of dummy. 

When the player of dummy has the 
declaration and is doubled, he can 
redouble although he has seen both 
hands, but he may not refer back to 
his own hand before deciding. If the 
deal is with either of his adversaries he 



82 Dummy Bridge. 

can only double from his own hand, 
and must not look at the dummy until 
the opening lead has been made. 

In Double-dummy " the only dif- 
ferences are that the dealer always 
deals to himself and never for the 
dummy hand, and the hand on his 
left always takes the opening lead and 
has the first option of doubling. 

Neither player may look at more 
than one of his hands before the 
opening lead, except in the case of 
the dealer leaving the call to dummy, 
when the declaration is compulsory, 
as above. 

In both these games the scoring 
is as in ordinary Bridge. In Dummy 



Dummy Bridge. 83 

Bridge the player of the dummy hand 
takes from or pays both his adver- 
saries. 

Neither dummy hand can be penal- 
ized for a revoke. 



Chess and Checker Books 



The Game of Draughts 

By Andrew Anderson. Simplified and illus- 
trated with practical diagrams. Seventh Edi- 
tion. Revised by Robert McCuUoch . . . $1.00 

Principles of Chess in Theory 
and Practice. 

By James Mason. Fourth Edition, Revised 
and Enlarged. No better book for beginners 
has ever been issued, while even the expert 
will find much in its pages to instruct him. 
i2mo., cloth 1.25 

The Art of Chess 

By James Mason, Third Edition, Revised 
and Enlarged. A Practical Treatise on the 
whole Game in development of Principles." 
More particularly designed for use by students 
and advanced players. 12 mo., cloth .... 1.25 

The Chess Player's Manual 

By G. H. D. Gossip and S. Lipschutz. Con- 
taining the Laws of the Game, according to 
the Revised Code laid down by the British 
Chess Association. Revised and Edited with 
an American Appendix by S. Lipschutz, 
Champion of the Manhattan Chess Club of ^ 
New York 2.00 

Chess Openings, Ancient and 
Modern. 

By Freeborough and Ranken. Revised and 
corrected up to the present time by E. Free- 
borough and Rev. C. E. Ranken. A new 
edition, with numerous original variations and 
suggestions, by Geo. B. Eraser, Dundee, and 
other eminent players and analysts. i2mo., 

cloth 1.50 



Handbooks on Games 



HUl's Vest Pocket Hoyle. 

(Revised Edition.) A book of card 
games, with rules and methods of play. 
Also dictionary of card terms. 

Full leather binding, gold title, .50 
Flexible cloth binding, red edges, .25 

Hiirs Bridge and How to Play It. 

Vest Pocket. 

Full leather binding, gold title, ,50 
Flexible cloth binding, red edges, .25 

The A B C of Bridge. 

New Edition (5th) Revised and En- 
larged. Rules of the Game, what to 
lead and how to play. i6mo., cloth, .50 

The A B C of Auction Bridge. 

By Edwin Oliver. New Revised Edi- 
tion for American Players, by G. Ed- 
ward Atherton, of the Philadelphia 
Racquet Club, .50 



FEB 6 !912 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 

^FEB 6 iy 



